Tourists abroad are increasingly choosing a free travel schedule. Independence from the guide and the ability to plan the day yourself - this is what makes the rent-a-car service popular all over the world. You can choose a car for rent in special companies around the world, at any time and for any period.
How and where to order a car
Usually the car is booked in advance. Moreover, the leaders in the field of car rental (Hertz, Eurocar, Avis, Budget Car) prefer to work with clients who have taken care of their comfort in advance. Often, a car is ordered at the tour operator's office. Then you can get to the hotel from the airport comfortably on your own. You will only need to pick up the keys at the counter from a company representative. This system is called Fly & Drive and is very popular in Europe.
You can also decide in advance on the brand and even the color of the car. True, there is no one hundred percent guarantee that this will be provided. But a firm with a good reputation in the car rental market is likely to offer its customers an equivalent model. The manager of the company should also ask about different nuances: from the number of doors to the need for a child seat. Not to mention the type of gearbox. After all, it is known that in the question of the choice between the "handbrake" and the "automatic" often there can be no two opinions.
You can order a car for a separate trip directly on vacation. To do this, you need to choose a car rental company and come to its office.
What you need to rent a car abroad
- driver's license;
- international passport;
- credit or debit bank card in the name of the driver.
Some countries pay particular attention to driving experience and age. It is optimal that the renter has been driving for at least a year. Different countries have different age restrictions. From the age of 18, the car can be rented in Austria, Germany, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden. In Estonia and Norway since the age of 19. If you are 20 years old, you can easily rent a car in Bulgaria, Finland and Switzerland. But in Luxembourg - only from 23 years old. In most countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Latvia, Poland, Great Britain and Romania), the car will be provided provided that you are 21 years of age or older. Sometimes younger drivers may be asked to pay a surcharge.
It is almost impossible to pay in cash. For the duration of the rental, a certain amount will be blocked on the customer's card, which will become available when the car is returned. However, the vehicle must be returned in the same condition in which it was taken. Otherwise, part of the funds will go, for example, to pay off insurance.
It is advisable to have an international driving license. But really it will be only if you have a driving license of a domestic sample.
What is included in the car rental price
- car rent;
- unlimited mileage during the rental period;
- driving the car by one driver (if you want to drive alternately, you will have to pay extra);
- taxes, including VAT;
- airport taxes;
- insurance with a deductible (in case of an accident and theft).
The car must be delivered with a full tank of fuel. This is stated in any contract (find the phrase One Tank of Fuel). It should be in the same quantity at the time of returning the car. Otherwise, the amount of money on the credit card will decrease by an amount equal to the price of the missing fuel.
For convenience, you can make a surcharge if the car is rented in a different city from which it was rented (One-Way fee). And also pay for the opportunity to return the car to the company during its non-working hours (Out of Hours fee).
What cars can be ordered abroad
Rental vehicles are divided into 5 groups:
- cars of economy class or economy (small cars of class A and B, such as Volkswagen Polo, Ford Fiesta);
- cars of group C or compact (most in demand in this service market);
- cars of semi-representative class or intermediate (Opel Vectra, Ford Mondeo);
- a car of full-size class F and G or full-size (Mercedes C180);
- luxury or lux-class cars (Mercedes E240 with automatic transmission).
Of course, the cars will be insured against damage. In a company of any level, you must carefully read the contract and familiarize yourself with the check list. It must contain a complete list of the defects of the car identified at the time of its issuance to a new renter: dents, scratches, etc. When returning the car, an employee of the company will check the defects against the list in the defective statement. If the scratches are fresh, you will have to pay for them from your own pocket.
Any reputable company provides 24/7 dispatching services. You can contact her in case of breakdown or accident.
